Truck



July 27, 1943. a P. w, EATON 2,325,568

TRUCK Filed March 28, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 P. W. EATON July 27, 1943.

TRUCK Filed March 28, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 art...

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P. W. EATON July 27, 1943.

TRUCK 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 28, 1940 Fig.5.

} therewith.

Patented July 27, 1943 UNITED' STAT as PATE T oF icE raucx Philip w. semi, some,

rect and mesne assignments, of seven-tenths to Thomas A.

Mass., 1mm, di-

Cotter, Boston, and three-tenths to Charlotte E. Wilson, Brookline, Mass. v Application March 28. 1940, Serial No. 326,442

iicisim (01. 214-113) .This invention relates to self-propelled trucks, such as are employed in warehouses, shops and other places for moving about and handling heavy material and objects, and has particular reference to trucks of this class adapted to han-' dle dumping buckets. The invention also contemplates improvements in the dumping mechanisms of trucks of this class as wellas improvements in the buckets employed in connection The invention has for its object to provide an improved truck of the class indicated which will be particularly constructed so that it can be operated to pick up. transport and dump loaded buckets.

To this end I have provided an improved motor propelled and operated truck of the character described having the features of construction and mode of operation set forth in the following description, the several novel features of the invention being separately pointed out and defined in the claims at the close of the description.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a motor propelled truck equipped with bucket handling mechanism constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure '2 is a front elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is anelevation of the yoke or carrier" on which the grappling hook, hereinafter described is mounted.

Figure 4 illustrates a modification of the yoke locking mechanism.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 illustrate the operation of the hook member hereinafter described.

Figure 8 is an end view of the bucket. in load- 7 discharging condition.

through which the operator starts; stops and reverses driving motor I! is shown at l5.

At the front of chassis to is plvotally supported an upstanding rectangular frame It including .two spaced apart relatively parallel side channels n which are disposed with their flanges innermost, the upper ends of said channels being rigidly connected by a head or cross bar It. The

lower ends, of the channels II are pivotally connectedwith the chassis so that the frame I. can

be swung fore and aft on a transverse axis by means of an electrically driven tilting unit I. that is connected with frame It by rack bars fl and which is controlled by the operator through the medium of a control member 2|.

Between the channels ll of frame "is ar ranged a supplemental frame 22 (Fig. 2) comprising oppositely disposed side channels" connected at their upper ends by a cross bar 24 and at their lower ends by a cross bar 25. The channels 23 of-this supplemental frame are provided upon their outer sides with rollers 20 occupying positions between the flanges of the channels ll of the main frame It so that the inner supple;

mental frame 22 can be movedup anddown relatively to the outer main frame and so that it is guided in its movement by the rollers.

Slidably mounted upon the front side of the inner supplemental frame 22 is a load-supporting carriage or fork ends of a chain 28 (Fig. 1) are connected as usual so that when said chain is operated in one direction carriage 21 is moved upwardly rela-' tively to the inner supplemental frame 22 and when saidchain is moved in the opposite direction the carriage is lowered. v

The chain 2! extends around the usual sprockets, two of which are carried by the inner supplemental frame 22 and the others by the outer main frame IS. The last mentioned sprockets include two driving sprockets 28 forming part of an electrically operated hoist unit 30 which is controlled by the operator through the medium of a handle or control member II.

The carriage 21 is equipped with a pair of angular tines 32 which are mounted-on the carriage 21 with provision for adJustment toward and from .each other as may be required for the particular load to be carried. The carriage I1 with its tines i2 is usually referred to as the fork of the machine and, as shown in Fig. -1, each tine is made with a forwardly extending portion that is adapted to be slid or moved into position beneath the load that is to be carried, through forward movement of the vehicle or truck.

While the truck is traveling from one point to another the operator directs its course by means of a steering wheel 33 connected through the usual mechanism with the rear dirigible wheels l2.

21 to which the opposite In other'words, the framework ofthe hoisting apparatus is extensible and is extended after carrings 21 arrives at the top of supplemental frame 1 22 if the movement of chain 28 is continued.

,When chain 28 isioperated in the-direction indicated by the arrow 6 (Fig. 1) after the hoistthe carriage 21 occupies its lowermost position as'shown in Fig. 1-, and movement of chain 28 is occasioned in the direction of the I arrow 0, the said carriage 21 is moved upwardly frelatively to main frame It and the inner supple-- mental frame 22 until carriage 21 reaches and 4 .genaaaes abutments on the upper end of supple- 1 mental frame 22 after which continued movement of chain 28 in thedirection of arrow it raises both I supplemental frame 22 and carriage 21 in unison;

; 18 andswings cam shield 29 upwardly whereupon the hook 38 falls by gravity into position against thebail ll (Fig. with the cam shield 58 o the carriage 21 is stopped by the operators The operator then operates chain 28 in the direction body portion of the bucket is held stationary by the engagement of the hook with the bail while I mg apparatus h been extended, carriage 21 and" supplemental frame 22 are lowered in unison until the supplemental frame is arrested by the usual stops therefor, after'which oontinuedmovement of the chain slides the-carriage 21 down-i -wardly on supplemental frame 22 until it arrives:

at its lowermost position shown in Fig. l.

rue: above details of construction and operation areias heretofore and my resent inven-- tiara-,contemplates improving the hoistingep-p paratus or mechanism in order to adapt the same to handle and operate dumpina buckets or the gg Iprovide'a longitudinaH hm 11kg, To

M! Illidfi 1 the outer side of each shah-*1 psi :1 ofmainframe'll andwithineachsuidefl there is provided. a'tubuiar slide 25'. The slides 31. "extend above the tops of the-tubular guides 34 and are risidly connected-by a cross bar or 7 head II" which rests upon upstanding. bosses 31 forming part of cross bar 24 of supplemental frame 22, tubular members 36, together with the f cross bar or head 38, constitute a yoke or carrier 1 for a grappling book 8! on which is pivotally mounteda cam shield 39.. The grappling book 28 isloosely and pivotally connected with cross head II at and normally it rests by gravity against the side of cross head 28 which supports it in its normal operative position.

7 Hook member 28 is particularly constructed to cooperate-with the bail ll" ofabucket 12 whose bottom wall II is pivotaliy connected at M with thebody portion of the bucket so that it can be Vopenedandclosed; z 2 a Bolsters llprovided upon the bottom side of the pivoted bottom 43 swings downwardly (Fig. 8)

under the influence of the load within the bucket V and said load isdischarged from the latter as;

will be clear. v .1 In order to free the bucket from hook 38' and lower said bucket the operator causes the chain 28 to move in the direction of the arrow 0 thereby raising the bucket relatively to hook 38 and cam shield 32 until the ball 41 passes the latter (Fig. 6) whereuponsaid shield falls by gravity into position against the nose of the hook. The operator then stops further upward movement of the bucket and causes chain 28 to be driven in the direction indicated by the arrow 11 to-lower- As the bucket moves downwardly the bucket. (P18- 7) the bail I rides againstthe cam shield is thereby swinging hook member it aside and. permitting the bucket to descend with carriage 21 without interference with thehook.

Ifthe bucket is to be dumped at such a height as to require extension of the hoist frame.,the movement of chain 28 in the direction of the arrow a is continued after carriage 21 reaches the upper end of supplemental frame ,22 which re-- sults in upward movement of said supplementsl 1 frame with said carriage and since the cross bar or head 36 is normally supported by thesupplealso move upwardly with the supplemental frame 22 and carriage 21. when the chain 28 is stopped with the hoist. frame thus extended the hoolr-.

carrying yoke "-3! is locked in its elevated position. At this moment hook member 2-8 is supported by the hail of the buoketin 8 position thebottom wall 42 support the latter above the.

level ofthe sround so that thetines 32 of the moved'into andout of position-bee fork can be neath the bottom wall 42 while the bucket rests positionthe tines 32 oi'the fork beneath a loaded chain is is then again opera'tedin the direction- ..bucket the chain ltu'is 'operated'to raise the whereit. is upwardly displaced relatively to yoke "-Qlwith cam shield 29 hanging freely on its pivot 51 clear of bail-ll. Therefore, preparatory to dumping the bucket it is necessary to first j lower the bail 4| to a position below hook I!" to .i permit the latter to assume the positionshown in Fig. i; then toraise ball into a position so just above: the nose of hook 28 where it supports the cam-shield 38 (Fig.6) ,in a relatively elevated position; and then to lower bail 4i until it is caught by the hook after which continued down! ward movement of carriage '21 permits the bottom wall 42 to swing open the contents of; r

' the bucket to discharae.

vof. the arrow 4 to raise the bucket. If the height .at which the bucket is to be dumped does not require extension of the hoist frame, then the carriage, or fork 21 withthe'bucket on it will be lifted to the upper end of supplemental frame. 4

' 22 and stopped at that point. During the upward movement of the bucket the bail ll traverses the path indicated by the upwardly pointed arv rows 0 in Fig. 1. nd through engagement with a cam surface 40 (Figs. 5, 6: and 7) provided at the free end of hook 22 it swings the latter laterall? and upwardly the bailrides ofl of cam In Figs. 1 and 20f th'fdra "9 means isiprt I vided forautomatically' 'lockinz tl'ieyoke 2l--2l* in its elevated position-when the hoist frame is": thus extended 'and sa id means, as herein shown, 5

includes two'aravitylatches ll, eachv of which" rests by gravity against the sideof one of the slide members 3!. These iatche'sare both fixed to a horizontal transversely disposed shaft. 0 rotatably supported by brackets ll projecting from tubular auides 34 and each'is provided with a-laterally extending handle II by means of whichboth latches can be simultaneously swung .75 into and out of operative position. S

movement of the latches toward -48 is moved I tal frame 23 the holes 53 of each member or 'ity until they are to be used again; r

In Fig. 4 I have shown a'modined form of yoke-:

3 asaasea inoperaflve pcsi-r idea being limited by a stop." (Fig. l).

Lmember l8 outwardly tosome extent vthe Each tubular leg or member ll of the'yoke' Il 36 is formedwith 'a series of holes 83 arranged in a longitudinal row and disposed so as to cooperate with the latches 48. As the yoke.

upwardly with the supplemenll of the'yoke are successively brought to reslse ter with the honor free end of its latch I so that said nose drops into each hole as it Passes.-

It will. therefore, be clear that by raising the yoke into a position Just above the desired dumping position and then lowering said yoke a short distance the latches ll will each drop into. one. .of the holes 53 thereby automatically locking the yoke in its elevated position. That is to say,'the

f'tion where stituted, if desired.

bail clears the lower end of shield It whereupon member 38 returns by gravity to its normal posi- "it issupported bvthe cross bar-or While. I prefer the d ml ns member or hook 13 8. constructed and operating as described. it will types of hooks mey .besubbe clear that other may be prevented; by the bolsters 48 which occupy positions alongside of the tines of the fork. In order to-prevent accidental displacement of the bucket fore and alt on the fork the present inupper side of each hole 53 provides a downwardly facing abutmentshoulder on its member. or leg 35 which is enmed automatically by its latch 48 to lock said leg or member in its elevated posi tion reparatoryto dumping the bucket. v

when, after dumping the bucket, the latter is raised relatively to the hook to disengage the bail ll from said hook, the supplemental frame 22 is caused to move upwardly far enough to raise the yoke slightly thereby permitting the operator to swing the latches outwardly into their inoperative position where they are held by gravlocking mechanism which includes a bolt It. for

7 each member is, said bolt being slidably mounted in a bearing 55 provided onv the adjacent tubular nected through a pin-and-slot connection with. a lever 56 and both levers are fast on a transverse shaft 51 iournaledinbrackets projecting from the main frame I 8. In this case each leg or slide member 3! of the hook-carrying yoke is made with two longitudinal .rows' of holes 58 and the holes of one row are disposed diametrically oppo-; sitethe holes oftheother row.- It will be clear that when a pair of holes-II areinaxial aline- 'ment with'each bolt It the latter can ;be movedendwise through'said holes 68. and also through bearing ll,to

The-cam" shield Ilj-is inythe form or 'a-ycke whose'legs'aredisposed upon opposite sides or, and pivotally connectedrat 4'! with, the hook" member" while the intermediate portion oi the yoke is adapted to restupon the nose of the hook lit whiletheshieldoccupies its normal position and to abut the shank portion of member II when l the carriage I1 is caused to move upwardly so that at iirstthe bail raises shield it into position of engagement with the bail (Pig. 6)- whereupon the shield falls by sravity'into position against the nose of the hook. It will'be clear that as soon 1 as the shield falls in to this position the carriage can be moved downwardly '(Fig. 7) thereby lowering member. SI until the bail ll engages the Fig. 2'. turned minety ported said shield occupies a position at the limit of its upward swinging movement relatively to. said member. Thus-when thebail 4i isto'be disengagedirom hook isafter dumping the bucket,

' 1. 1m automotive-Rm: comprising hoisting and dumping. apparatus including,

'. of the vehicle and extending upwardly a "supplemental frame. mounted on' against the shank of member." and thereafter acts throughsaid shield to swing member II up- I wardly and outwardly until the lateral movement of member 38 carries the shield I! out 7 mental frame to the up to thereafter :and supplevention contemplates the provision of meansi'or preventing such displacement. i As herein shown.

nose [I (Figsgl and 2) is relatively short and directed downwardly while the shank portion .of'

this locking member is movable endwise and rotatively within the socket ll. fwhenxthe vehicle.

is manipulated to-position' the tines of the fork beneath a loaded bucket the hook bolt 60 is manually slid upwardly from the position shown in degrees forwardly and then u lowered so that the'top .of the hook rests on the fc'himeoi the bucket with the nose 6! within the latter. L--'I'hus-the bucket. while being transported guide 34. The outerend of each bolt 54 is conas to and from the destination of its load, is securely held by hook bolt against sliding forward on the tines '82 of the fork. In other words, the

bucketis positively locked in position on the work :while itis in transit: It will be clear that the empty bucket-is removed by raising hook bolt 80 i and turning the same rearwardly ninety degrees. a

It is desirable. when dumpingthe contents of moment, that all of said contents be directed ends with upstanding or perpendicular end walls] a hole It formed in tubular guid opposite lock the yoke in its uppermost 3.

I -dlimpedpasin Fig. 8, all of Q3 (Figs; 8 and 9) which giveto 'said bottom will 'a trough like shape so that when the bucket is its contents is directed in one directionyviz These Lend walls I! are seated upon, and welded to, the top side of the'bottom I wall 48 of the bucket. and eachoccupie a position alongside of, and close end the bucket preferably within said bucketao-asto s up-- ysaidendwall WhatIclaim' is:

combination, amain framedlsposed atone end therefrom:

Bil-id. main.

- frame for -movem'e'nt up and downlrelatively thereto; a

carriage movable up. and down on said supplemental frame "and providing a seat for a bucket: power operated mechanism operable to i move said carriage upwardly on said supple-- cndoi'the latter and mental frame together upwardly relatively to said main frame; a bucketseated on said carriage made with abail and having a-"bottomwall connected with the body of said bucket.

said bottom well being supported in closed posi -aflpe'ndant bucket-dumping nbysaidseat:

bucket I. v

hook member; a support on which said dumping member is pivotally supported adjacent to the.v 'upper end of said supplemental frame and in the hoisting and dumping apparatus constructed in accordance with claim 1 wherein said last mentioned mechanism of claim 1 is automatically operable to lock said support in its elevated position and is manually operable to free said support preparatory to lowering the same with said supplemental frame.

3. An automotive truck comprising bucket hoisting and dumping apparatus including, in

of the vehicle and extending upwardly therefrom; a supplemental frame mounted on said main frame for movement up and down relatively thereto: a carriage movable up and down on said supplemental frame and-providing a seat for a bucket; power operated mechanism operable to move said carriage upwardly on said supplemental frame to the upper end of the latter and to thereafter move said carriage and supplemental frame together upwardly relatively to said main frame; a bucket seated on said carriage made with a bail and having a bottom wall engages said bail to hold the body of the bucket -statlonary when the carriage is thereafter lowpass said hook and to cause said lower end to swing by gravity in the opposite direction after said bail has passed the hook so that the latter ered to dump'the contents of the bucket; a-sup-. port on which said dumping member is pivotally mounted at its upper end, said support being slidably associated with said main frame and normally in abutting engagement with said supplemental frame so as to move upwardly with the combination, a main frame disposed at one end hingedly connected with the body of said bucket,

said bottom wall being supported in closed position by said seat; a pendant bucket-dumping hook member; a support on which saiddumping member is pivotally supported adjacent to the upperv end of said supplemental frame and in the'path of said bail, said support being slidably associated with said main frame and in abutting engagement with said supplemental frame so as to move upwardly with the latter, and mechanism for locking'said support in its elevated position while said supplemental frame, said, carriage and said bucket are being raised and lowered to engage said ball with said hook member and to dump the contents of said bucket.

4. An automotive truck comprising bucket hoisting and dumping apparatus including, in combination, a main frame disposed at one end of the vehicle and extending upwardly therefrom; a supplemental framemounted on said main frame for movement up and down relatively thereto; a carriage movable up and down on said supplemental frame andproviding a seat for a bucket; power operated mechanism operable to move said carriage upwardly on said supplemental frame to the upper end of the latter and to thereafter move said carriage and supplemental frame together upwardly relatively to said main frame; a bucket seated'on said carriage made with a bail and having a bottom wall latter, and mechanism carried by said main frame for locking said support in its elevated position while said carriage and said bucket are being raised and lowered to engage said ball with said hook member and to dump the contents of said bucket.

for a bucket; power operated'mechanism operable to move said carriage upwardly on said supplemental frame to the upper end of the latter and to thereafter move said carriage and supplemental frame together upwardly relatively to said main frame; a bucket seated on said carriage made with a bail and having a bottom wall hingedly connected with the body of said bucket, said bottom wall being supported in closed position by said seat; a pendant bucket-dumping hook member; a support for said dumping member including two tubular slide members disposed at opposite sides 'of said main frame and each telescopically mounted within a tubular guide forming part of said main frame and disposed parallel with the direction of movement of said supplemental frame and a cross bar connecting the upper ends of said tubular slide members with which the upper end of said dumping member is pivotally connected, said cross bar having abutting engagement with said supplemental frame so as to move upwardly with the latter, and mechanism carried by said main frame for locking said support in its elevated position while .said carriage and said bucket are being raised and lowered to engage said ball with said hook member and to dump the contents of said bucket.

of the vehicle and extending upwardly therefrom; a supplemental frame mounted on said main frameformovement up and down relatively thereto; a carriage movable up and down on said supplemental frame and providing a seat for a bucket; power operated mechanism operable to move said carriage upwardly on said supplemental frame to the upper end of the latter and to thereafter move said carriage and supplemental frame together upwardly relatively to said main frame; a bucket seated on said carriage having a bottom wall hingedly connected with the body of said bucket, said bottom wall being supported in closed position by said seat; a bucket-dumping member movable upwardly with said supplemental frame and mova-bly supported by the latter while the latter occupies'an elevated position, said member occupying a position in the path of the upward movement of said bucket so asto separably engage and support the latter when said carriage is lowered to dump the contents 'of the bucket, and means for locking carriage movable up and down on said frame and providing a seat for a bucket: mechanism, for moving said carriage up and down on said frame; a bucket seated on said carriage made with a bail, and a pendant bucket-dumping member pivotally supported adjacent to the upper end of said frame, the lower end of said member being made with a hook disposed in the path of said bail and provided with a cam shield for said hook that is adjustably mountedon said member and normally held by gravity in position to close theentrance to said hook.but which is adapted to be shifted into hook-uncovering position by said bail when the latter is moved upwardly to a predetermined height thereby to permit said hook to automatically fall into position beneath said bail so as to hold the latter against down ward movement with the carriage while the con. tents of said bucket is being dumped, and which is adapted to be moved automatically by gravity into position to close the entrance to said hook when said ball is moved upwardly beyond said,

predetermined height so as to prevent engagement of the hook with the ball when the latter is thereafter lowered.

9. In a transporting and dumping device for industrial trucks having a frame, an extension frame thereon, forks reciprocally mounted on said extension frame, a second extension frame straining said container when said supporting relationship with said second named extension frame, said forks being adapted to support a container to be elevated by said forks,

- and means mounted on said second namedextension frame to engage said container when elevated to dumping position by said forks.

10. In a transporting and dumping device for industrial trucks having a frame, an extension frame thereon, forks reciprocally mounted on said extension frame, a second extension frame elevated by said first named extension frame, uide means mounted on said first named frame for guiding the movement of said second named extension frame, manually operable means mounted on said guide means for locking said second named extension frame in elevated position including locking means engageable with means on said second named extension frame, said forks being adapted to support a. container to be elevated by said forks, and means mounted on'said second named extension frame for reto be dumped.

11. An automotive truck comprising bucket hoisting and dumping apparatus including, in

frame; a bucket seated on said carriage, and a pendant bucket-dumping member pivotally supported adjacent to the upper end of said frame,

' the lower end of said member being made with a hook disposed in the path ofsaid bucket and provided with a cam shield forsaid hook that is adjustably mounted on said member and normally held by gravity in position to close the entrance to said hook but which is adapted to be shifted into hook-uncovering position by said bucket when the latter is moved upwardly to a predetermined height thereby to permit said hook to automatically fall into bucket-engaging position so as to hold said bucket against downelevated by said first named extension frame,

tubular members mounted on said first named frame for guiding the movement of said second named extension frame, manually operable means mounted on said tubular members for locking said second named extension frame in elevated position including locking members passing through said tubular members and into ward movement with the carriage while the contents of said bucket is being dumped, and which is adapted to be moved automatically by graw'ity into position to close the entrance to said hook when said bucket is. moved upwardly beyond said predetermined height so as to prevent engagement of the hook with the bucket when the latter is thereafter lowered.

PHILIP W. EATON.

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